Disney cancels many summer Galactic Starcruiser voyages

[DodgerGirl]

I also think these cancellations are a sign that the Galactic Starcriuser is getting closer to it's final voyage and after the last sailing they will close it and turn it into a simple Star Wars themed hotel because as you know the reason why Disney has been having obsessions with Star Wars is because ever since Disney bought Lucasfilm George Lucas had a huge love affair with Star Wars and since he created the films he wanted to add something Star Wars themed to the parks and that's why Disneyland and Walt Disney World have Star Tours and Galaxy's Edge and so what I think people expected this resort to be just like being in the Star Wars films for real but this wasn't what people expected it to be. I think if they had done it correctly the resort would've been as follows,
1. Meet And Greets with Star Wars Characters such as Chewbacca Han Solo Luke Skywalker Princess Leia and Darth Vader and other characters
2. Have themed rooms like Yoda's bunker or The Mandalorian's chamber
3. Daily character breakfasts and dinners
4. Photos with the captain and crew at the end of the voyage as a farewell gift
5. Shows themed to Star Wars
If Disney had chosen to market the Galactic Starcruiser in this format it would be successful. But as I said before Disney was trying to attract the really giant Star Wars fans and had they made it cost the same as a regular Disney resort this would've been a hit. And now with Marvel in second place with Disney you can bet Disney will start doing the same thing as this Star Wars resort but in a Marvel themed format in the future. Because when you huge property such as Star Wars and Marvel some ideas work while some fail which is what happened with this resort
Dodger

 

[mamaofsix]

I would be glad to see this experience turned into more of a themed hotel stay. It would have much broader appeal (likely more people were turned off by the idea of constant character interaction than were attracted to it).

Seems like a win-win for Disney: they would not have to pay for actors, would not need to change the layout or design - and could turn over rooms easily at a lower price point.

 

[KayMichigan]

Eventually I'm sure they'll drop the roleplaying, I just can't see them still doing it at this level in five years, especially with no new Star Wars sequel movies coming out and nothing to sustain the current theming. It looks like everything they're producing for Disney+ is set in the older time periods.

 

[Cfabar1]

A few thoughts:

1. Having to call to make a reservation is ridiculous - especially given the “tech savvy” clients they are likely to be attracting. Many millennials have an irrational fear of using the telephone and talking to someone… They are losing business right there…

2. The price is obscene. This is a “once in a lifetime” splurge for most people, and when they are comparing it to other products that offer this amount of immersion like a murder mystery dinner theatre or a cruise ship, they probably are struggling to find the value.

3. The meal vouchers are for Quick serve restaurants? Really?

4. It looks insanely fun, and I’d love to go, and would be willing to pay the price When our kids are old enough to enjoy it. I am skeptical it is around long enough for that.

5. The fact there are no bookings past September makes me think this whole thing is being questioned. I’m wondering if it will become converted to DVC and/or just a hotel soon. If they could install a walk path and second entrance to HS, it would command a big premium.

 

[Mle8308]

A few thoughts:

1. Having to call to make a reservation is ridiculous - especially given the “tech savvy” clients they are likely to be attracting. Many millennials have an irrational fear of using the telephone and talking to someone… They are losing business right there…

2. The price is obscene. This is a “once in a lifetime” splurge for most people, and when they are comparing it to other products that offer this amount of immersion like a murder mystery dinner theatre or a cruise ship, they probably are struggling to find the value.

3. The meal vouchers are for Quick serve restaurants? Really?

4. It looks insanely fun, and I’d love to go, and would be willing to pay the price When our kids are old enough to enjoy it. I am skeptical it is around long enough for that.

5. The fact there are no bookings past September makes me think this whole thing is being questioned. I’m wondering if it will become converted to DVC and/or just a hotel soon. If they could install a walk path and second entrance to HS, it would command a big premium.

The reason you need to call is because there’s a lot of information they need to give and collect. I don’t think millennials (I am one, barely) are afraid of phones. And the one voucher for a quick service meal is because there are no sit down restaurants on Batuu. It’s for your day when you visit and you’re not really supposed to leave Batuu, though you can. You can stay on the Star Cruiser and eat in the dining room there, or do both. Or use it after your voyage where ever you choose.

 

[Jetku]

BREAKING: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Cutting Down to Two ‘Voyages’ Per Week This Fall

Disney has announced that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser two-night immersive adventure will only operate twice per week starting in October.

 

[KayMichigan]

BREAKING: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Cutting Down to Two ‘Voyages’ Per Week This Fall

Disney has announced that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser two-night immersive adventure will only operate twice per week starting in October.

That's too bad. I wonder if the cast members will get their hours cut or can they go work at other venues during the days GS isn't open?

They really need to just drop the cost and the roleplaying and make it a SW themed hotel. You can have the characters and all the other stuff but allow guests to come and go just like the other Disney resorts.

 

[Cfabar1]

That's too bad. I wonder if the cast members will get their hours cut or can they go work at other venues during the days GS isn't open?

They really need to just drop the cost and the roleplaying and make it a SW themed hotel. You can have the characters and all the other stuff but allow guests to come and go just like the other Disney resorts.

Yes, or make that a special experience that can be offered to some guests…. I don’t see starcruiser as sustainable for the long term offering that full experience exclusively…. It’s too niche and expensive…

 

[matt and beth]

From the article I read on WDW News Today, it's because bookings are way down and the "cruises" had "low occupancy" on those dates. Not surprising considering how massively expensive those stays are.

It follows a story they had from last October that said demand had fallen significantly and that the resort was giving rooms away for free to get publicity.

They might be running out of Star Wars fans who are willing to pay $6,000+ for the experience.

They are “giving the room away for free to get publicity”? Where do I sign up for this?

 

[Boopuff]

When it opened, I couldn't help but think "Disney must have an idea to transform this once the luster wears off". I think it would be easy to turn it into a deluxe hotel (maybe DVC?) As said before, they'd need to add a pool. Keeping the backdoor shuttle would be a bonus for guests. It will be interesting to see where this will go.

 

[PinkPixel]

BREAKING: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Cutting Down to Two ‘Voyages’ Per Week This Fall

Disney has announced that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser two-night immersive adventure will only operate twice per week starting in October.

Like I’ve previously said, if you’ve been on the Starcruiser this makes sense. I don’t know how they could have possible turned over the cabins and reset the ship between 10 am and 1 pm. It was worth it in the initial rush when I went, but it makes sense to be twice a week as an established experience.

 

[KayMichigan]

They are “giving the room away for free to get publicity”? Where do I sign up for this?

That was last October.

 

[Genie+]

What were the days of the week that got cancelled for June thru Sept trips? I’m guessing those days lacked enough bookings to be profitable. It’s likely that pattern is used for reducing down to 2 bookings per week starting October. So maybe keep Thurs-Sat, and Sat-Mon. That leaves Monday evening thru Thurs morning to offer cash rooms, meals, and ‘Enchanted Extras’ to offer the public al a cart.

We were interested in staying here, just never a priority. It’s hard to pull the trigger when so many other great experiences are competing for that kind of money. Much easier to enjoy a smaller piece even at a high premium. Things we can tack into a WDW trip without doubling the entire bubble budget and that take less than half a day.

 

[Suger Mag]

That's too bad. I wonder if the cast members will get their hours cut or can they go work at other venues during the days GS isn't open?

They really need to just drop the cost and the roleplaying and make it a SW themed hotel. You can have the characters and all the other stuff but allow guests to come and go just like the other Disney resorts.

I think the hotel is the problem... sleeping is dead time, but requires so much staffing to oversee and maintain, clean etc.
I think this would be so much sustainable long term and affordable for the masses scaled back to a special experience of several hours rather than a two day "voyage". Make it similar to an escape room with a dinner show.... a quest, a problem and entertainment, but no overnights. Can have different price points (stops on the voyage) to include a day in Batuu, longer experiences etc.

 

[middlechild]

Anyone else thinking right now about the swing cartoon? Where the kid just wanted a simple swing off a tree branch, and then the engineers and marketing got involved? The Galactic Starcruiser had add-ons for benefit of many groups, while jacking up the price. Until the resulting Taj Mahal is not being supported by the kids, that just wanted a swing. So many projects die a slow death from mission creep. Any chance the trees could be put back, now that the engineers have proven they COULD do it, and the audience has voted No?

 

[Narcoossee11]

I think this is smart idea.
CM's should be able to get close to 40hours at resort. Make up other days,/hours in other areas.
The 3 days resort is closed ,still will need 'some ' sort of maintenance.

 

[ChrisFL]

I still think they should set this and all of Galaxy's Edge in the original era and not the sequel trilogy era. Practically all new Disney+ shows are set up either right before or right after the original trilogy, and the sequel era is going to fade away in people's minds fast IMO

EDIT: another idea which would be wild, but they could do it, is to have a storyline where the various eras timelines are somehow intertwining due to some rupture in the space/time continuum and you see people from different eras in the Starcruiser trying to work out what happened to cause it.

 

[DarthEsquire]

I went on the Star Cruiser on its opening voyage and would like to do it again. Cutting back the schedule actually makes me optimistic they can keep it as this experience without watering it down and that I can do it again in a couple years when I have saved up for it again. I think going down to four days a week will cut their expenses enough that they can keep it going.

 

[TwoMisfits]

It sounds like they are cutting to a single FT shift's worth of roleplaying staff, so that will be a huge savings.

I'd imagine they may make this a wedding venue as the optional 2 other days...letting wedding guests stay in the hotel without the roleplaying since the wedding and reception would be the festivities.

If I were Disney, that's what I'd do.

 

[BorderTenny]

EDIT: another idea which would be wild, but they could do it, is to have a storyline where the various eras timelines are somehow intertwining due to some rupture in the space/time continuum and you see people from different eras in the Starcruiser trying to work out what happened to cause it.

Your "wild" idea is an overused trope in Star Trek.